I'm not sure if my opponent intends to take this debate seriously so I reserve making my arguments more in depth should he choose in engage in a more in-depth discussion.

C1) Paternalism is bad

The government should not tell us what to do with our own bodies when we do something that harms no one else. Drugs would fall into this category.

C2) Criminal networks

According to Seth Jones of RAND Corporation, the Taliban gets 70-80% of their funding from the heroine trade. If drugs were legalized, US agrobusiness would be able to compete the Taliban out of business, meaning we would nearly instantly win the War in Afghanistan by denying the Taliban most of their funding. In addition, the Council on Foreign Relations points out that our drug demand fuels most of Mexico's cartels and much of the violence that spills across our borders. http://www.cfr.org... If we bought all our drugs from American companies, Mexican cartels would all go out of business.

C3) Makes the government money

We'd save about $15 billion a year by ending the useless war on drugs. http://www.drugsense.org... In addition, we'd gain about $30 billion a year by taxing drugs, although it could be significantly more, since we can progressively raise taxes (as we've done with cigarettes). The Global Commission on Drug Policy points out, ""The global war on drugs has failed . . . prohibition has failed in tackling global consumption of drugs, and has instead led to the creation of black markets and criminal networks that resort to violence and corruption in order to carry out their business. This drug-related violence now threatens the institutional stability of entire nations."

C4) Decriminalization decreases drug use

When we treat drugs as a matter of public health, not criminal justice, people feel less stigmatized and feel better about seeking help. This is why a Cato Institute study of Portugal's decriminalization policies shows decreases in drug usage and safer drug use over time. http://www.cato.org...

==Rebuttal==

1. Drugs are bad for you

This is answered by paternalism. Cigarettes and alcohol are also bad, but we are allowed to make these decisions for ourselves. In fact, alcohol is more likely to affect others than any other drug (drunk driving).

2. Drugs hurt others

No, they really don't, except that when we hurt ourselves, we hurt those who care for us. But this still doesn't justify paternalism, unless you believe loved ones should make all your decisions for you just because your decisions tangentially affect them.

ATTENTION!!! Please do not watch videos yet. Watch at the end when asked to. PLEASE AND THANK YOU!!!!

Well Mr. bluesteel, I must say thank you for the warm welcome. Although I was deeply offended by the idea that you did not think I would take this debate very seriously and my feelings have been hurt severely but I have taken time to think, which explains my late posting, and I have decided I will continue on with the debate even though I may not be one hundred percent.

Anyways, on with the debate.

The title of this debate states "The US should legalize all drugs"

"US" meaning The United States, and
"All drugs" meaning everything and anything on this planet, we call Earth, known as a drug or illegal substance.

This list of "all drugs" includes Heroin, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, LSD, and Ecstasy; which are only a few on the top of a list that could probably reach around the world.

Heroin alone is the cause of 30,000 deaths in Russia per year, not to mention a new mutation of heroin which I will discuss later, so who knows what kind of damage this will cause in The United States.

Methamphetamine, Meth for short, a pyschostimulant that gives your brain such a rush of excitement that no one can deny, causes unwanted weight loss, slowly destroy the kidneys, and burns the eyes and skin just from the smell or your very own sweat.

And very similar effects caused by the drugs as you go down the list, and they all lead back to the same thing.
These drugs pull you in and make you feel good so want more, you have got to have more or you can't live, but then the drug starts tearing you apart so you do what any reasonable human being would do when something is hurting them and stop doing it. But the rejection of drugs makes you feel even worse. Nights without sleep, physical and emotional pain, as well as mental pain. These withdrawals drive you to want more, which puts you deeper into an endless spiral of pain and suffering which inevitably ends in death.

So you say why let the government tell us what to do. They aren't in control of us and what we do with our bodies. That is ludicrous if you can read that and actually believe it. The government is in control of every move we make, every step we take, and every breath of "fresh air" we breathe.
But let's pretend we live in a Utopian world. The government shouldn't tell us what to do so lets just have them legalize and regulate the drugs we want so we can do them.
Also, you say drugs only affect that one person who is doing them and no one else. Obviously no one close to you has killed someone or been killed by someone who is under the influence. Don't be mistaken. Under the influence is not limited to alcohol. It pertains to all these drugs that you wish to be legalized.

Lastly, I would like to introduce you to a drug that is latest craze in Russia. It's basically the same as heroin with a couple of perks to it. Number 1, it is cheap, anyone can get a hold of it including the poor people who are willing to take anything to get through the day. and Number 2, it gives you the beautiful sensation of rotting your skin completely off straight down to the bone. This drug you wish to be legalized is known as Krokodil (or Crocodile). The cheapest yet most horrific drug on the market. Feel free to read more about it. http://www.independent.co.uk... Also, take a look at these videos for to truly grasp the intensity of the effects of this drug (just a warning though, not for those with weak stomachs).

Sorry for the shortness of this round. I've been working and running out of time and I'm still new at this and suck, but I'm trying my best so GET OFF MY BACK!!! But thank you for this debate and I look forward to upcoming rounds.

Thanks Willie. I meant no offense, but your case was one line long; I didn't want to write a huge case if you didn't intend to take the debate seriously - I often do that and my opponent forfeits.

==Rebuttal==

1. My opponent argues that Heroin kills people in Russia. However, this is responded to by the Global Commission on Drug Policy analysis that the War on Drugs has failed to curb demand. Hundreds of years of evidence show that criminalizing drugs does NOT decrease usage. There will always be people who want to do heroin, but the average person on the street doesn't REFRAIN from doing bad drugs MERELY because they are illegal, otherwise they'd huff paint and do other damaging things which are technically legal. This is also answered by the Cato study of Portugal's decriminalization that found when the stigma of drug use was gone, addicts found it easier to seek help and stop using. Children find it harder to find drugs when they are legalized and behind a counter, rather than easily accessible through a social network (knowing the "right person"). Ask the average high schooler - it's easier to get marijuana than it is to get alcohol. Lastly, decriminalizing drugs takes most of the allure away from them, especially since addicts use more openly, which just looks disgusting.

2. Drugs are all addictive and tear you apart. The book Legalize It points out that there are many high functioning drugs addicts, but we choose to focus on the lowlifes in our PSAs, and the high functioning addicts don't want to admit they use because of the stigma they would face at work. But many people function extremely well on marijuana, which is actually not addictive. Even people addicted to cocaine can be extremely high functioning. House (from the tv show) is a high functioning addict.

3. The government can't tell us when to breathe.

No they can't. The government SHOULDN'T be able to tell us what to do, when it hurts no one. This is just the is-ought fallacy. Currently, the government DOES engage in paternalism but that doesn't mean it ought to or that it's okay to do so.

4. New drugs that melts your skin off

Drugs would have warning labels, like alcohol and cigarettes. If you take a drug with a warning label "may melt your skin off," that's your fault. Survival of the fittest.

Drops: my opponent concedes that the War on Drugs has failed to decrease drug use and only created dangerous criminal syndicates, that would ALL be eliminated by legalization. He also fails to address the incredible Portugal study, that decriminalization actually DECREASED drug use.